Abridged version of Media Briefing on the 2025 World Safe Motherhood Day Delivered by Pharm Zirra Mathias Bubanani, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services on behalf of the Hon Commissioner of Health, Hon Felix Tangwami, on April 11, 2025
“No woman should die while giving life. Yet, every day, preventable maternal deaths still occur across the globe especially in developing settings. This is why we must all – governments, communities, development partners, health professionals and Civil society – continue to work hand in hand to strengthen maternal health services and support systems that ensure no woman is left behind
“Let me at this point express our profound appreciation to His Excellency, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, for creating an enabling environment that allowed health programmes and services to thrive. His visionary leadership and unwavering support for the health sector are saving lives and changing narratives across the state.
“We equally salute the distinguished contributions of Her Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, for her constant and passionate advocacy for the wellbeing of women and the general citizenry. Her voice continues to echo in support of gender equity, maternal health and inclusive governance.
“Our deep appreciation also goes to Her Excellency, the First Lady of Adamawa State, Hajiya Lami Ahmadu Fintiri. Her efforts through various health and social welfare initiatives have touched countless lives, especially vulnerable women and children. Her consistent support to maternal health campaigns and girlchild empowerment is deeply commendable.
“We acknowledge and celebrate the hardworking health workers across all our facilities – midwives, nurses, doctors, community health workers and support staff – who dedicate themselves every day to the care of pregnant women and newborns. We say thank you for your resilience, compassion and unshakeable commitment to saving lives.
“We also appreciate all our development partners, NGOs, civil society organisstions, and donor agencies who have been instrumental in driving health programmes, especially those focusing on maternal, newborn and reproductive health. Your technical, financial and operational support is enabling Adamawa State to make remarkable strides towards achieving Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Dlevelopment Goal 3 on good health and well-being…
“On behalf of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, I call on all stakeholders to remain steadfast. Let us continue to collaborate, inovate and advocate improved policies, increased funding, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric care and safe delivery environments across Adamawa State and Nigeria…”
Trending News reports that the press briefing by the state government was motivated and covered by members of the Adamawa State Family Planning Media Forum as mobilised by the collaborative duo of The Challenge Initiative (TCI) and Development Communications Network (DevCom) that have been promoting reproductive health in the state.
During the question and answer session of the briefing, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services spoke of plans to retrain midwives for safer motherhood care.
He said the government would be reaching out for some experts in Borno State where such experts were already apppying apparently safe-proof methods.
“On our own, we have been achieving appreciable level of safe deliveries across the state, but you are never too safe, so we want to get even better, so we are working on other ways for higher safety performance,” Bubanani told the newsmen at the briefing.
By Onimisi Alao
